PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — The cost of living continues to escalate leaving many seniors in Palm Beach County grappling with financial instability, struggling to make ends meet.
A WPTV viewer email to us asked for help saying they are a senior facing homelessness and that there is no rental assistance in Palm Beach County.
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It's a growing issue as numbers in a Senior Report last year by America's Health Rankings found 12% of seniors live below the poverty line, and 35% deal with financial concerns due to housing.
WPTV's Joel Lopez worked to find answers and reached out to county leaders, who explained they are facing their own obstacles in providing financial relief for seniors.
We uncovered that Palm Beach County has lost a substantial amount in funding, to provide assistance, from money that they used to get from Emergency COVID relief for housing assistance.
The significant cut in funding has impacted the ability to offer rental assistance, leading to a suspension of applications for such services for now.
WPTV met with Bob and Linda Stinnette, a couple in their late 70s, who have lived in their mobile home community in West Palm Beach for 24 years.
Their story is all too familiar.
“How would you describe the financial situation right now for so many seniors?” Lopez asked.
Linda Stinnette’s answer was telling.
“It’s bad, it’s bad,” she said.
Despite owning their home, the Stinnettes are burdened by escalating land rent each year.
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“Is there a concern that it might get to a point where you may no longer be able to afford it?” Lopez queried again.
“Oh yeah,” Linda Stinnette replied.
Living on a fixed income has forced them to juggle their finances with increasing stress of seeing some neighbors in their community facing bigger challenges.
“I mean, we're fortunate he's retired military, so we have the resources,” Linda Stinnette shared. “A lot of these people we watch go by and it's heartbreaking.”
They said currently they are paying more to rent the land than they are to pay for the mortgage of their house.
The couple explained how they are nearing the end of their mortgage payments and anticipate redirecting those funds towards their rising rent costs.
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“Right now we're okay, because I've looked at rentals and there's no way that we can rent something for what we pay here for the land and our home,” Linda Stinnette expressed.
In search of clarity, Lopez spoke with James Green, the director of the Palm Beach County Community Services Department.
He confirmed the financial shortfalls resulting from the loss of emergency COVID relief funds, which has left many facing an uphill battle.
“We have limited dollars. There are applications that have already been submitted, and we are providing support for those individuals,” Green acknowledged. “Obviously, the need is there, but we're having to make adjustments.”
Due to overwhelming demand and restricted funding, applications for rental assistance are currently closed but are set to reopen in October with a refreshed budget of $2 to $3 million allocated for housing assistance.
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Green emphasized the county’s priority for certain demographics in their assistance program.
“We will prioritize first-time applicants, seniors, disabled, and households with children 13 years and younger,” he said, however, he also cautioned that the supply of assistance will not meet the high demand.
“But I want to make sure that people know that it's limited and it's not going to meet the demand that is out there, but it will help bridge the gap for those who need assistance,” Green stated.
Despite the challenges, the county has established resources to help residents with long-term strategies such as job placement and budgeting tools.
“Our team is providing financial education and wraparound support to individuals who are working or have the ability to work,” Green explained. “This means addressing the root challenge of earning a living wage by helping families reskill, access workforce development trainings, and connect to job placement opportunities.”
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With resources available for budgeting, affordable housing options, benefits enrollment, food bank connections, and transportation, the county aims to empower those needing assistance with critical knowledge and support.
As the landscape continues to change, it is clear that community leaders, organizations, and families must come together to identify solutions to help seniors navigate these tough financial waters.
The county is calling on local landlords and churches to assist with providing housing opportunities in the county.
If you're in need of rental assistance apply at rentalassistancepbc.org or call 833.273.9455
For a list of affordable housing units, you can look on the county database, here.
